ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - - As a tribute to the volunteer work and community service of the five 1998 inductees into the GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame, the GTE Foundation will donate $5,000 to each of the non-profit agencies chosen by the inductees.

Since 1990, the GTE Foundation has donated $220,000 in the names of GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame inductees.

In 1988, GTE and the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) established the GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame to honor former Academic All-America team members who have attained high achievements in their professions and have made substantial contributions to their communities.

GTE has been the exclusive sponsor of the Academic All-America program since 1985. The GTE Foundation, one of the country's largest corporate foundations in annual contributions, provides financial assistance to educational, scientific and charitable institutions in the United States and its possessions on behalf of GTE and its subsidiaries.

With 1997 revenues of more than $23 billion, GTE is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies and a leading provider of integrated telecommunications services. In the United States, GTE provides local service in 28 states and wireless service in 17 states; nationwide long-distance and internetworking services ranging from dial-up Internet access for residential and small-business consumers to Web-based applications for Fortune 500 companies; as well as video service in selected markets.

Outside the United States, the company serves more than 7 million telecommunications customers. GTE is also a leader in government and defense communications systems and equipment, directories and telecommunications-based information services, and aircraft-passenger telecommunications.